New Population Estimates Highlight Nation's Fastest-Growing Cities

According to new Census estimates, most cities continue to record steady population gains. View maps and updated data for hundreds of cities.

Fueled by an influx of younger residents and healthy regional economies, steady population growth hasn’t yet slowed across many of the nation’s urban centers.

Updated population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau Thursday highlight the country’s fastest-growing cities, showing many continue to welcome notable tallies of residents. Areas with strong energy sectors, retirement destinations and those attractive to young people, in particular, are experiencing large increases.

In all, cities with populations exceeding 100,000 collectively added an estimated 857,000 residents between July 2012 and July 2013, accounting for an increase of about 1 percent. By comparison, all other areas of the country recorded population growth of only 0.6 percent over the same time period.

Frisco, Texas, posted population gains of 6.5 percent over the short 12-month period, topping all other larger cities.

The city just north of Dallas has benefited from several corporate relocations and expansions in recent years. Conifer Health Solutions, for instance, is building a new headquarters there and expects to double its headcount.

Other cities reaped population gains from oil booms. Odessa, Texas, saw its population climb by 4 percent, while neighboring Midland added 3.6 percent more residents over the year. In fact, of the top 10 cities over 100,000 recording the steepest growth, five were in the Lone Star state. (See complete list below)

For an illustration of growth tied, in part, to a younger crowd, look no further than Austin. Since 2010, the city’s population swelled an estimated 70,000. Three nearby smaller cities – San Marcos, Cedar Park and Georgetown, Texas – grew at even faster rates this past year.

During the recession, migration rates stalled to near-record lows nationwide. Many young families who may have, like their parents, preferred to move further out to suburbs, didn’t possess the means to do so.

It’s for this reason that some expected cities’ strong growth to be short-lived, slowing once the economy rebounded. But this hasn’t yet happened. William Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer, said the new estimates suggest cities’ population gains have more staying power.

“Some of them cooled off just a little bit in the past year, but compared to where they were over the past decade, they’re doing much better,” Frey said.

By and large, data indicates larger cities are growing at faster rates than suburban jurisdictions within the same metro areas, said Frey, who cited Austin, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., as cities attractive to younger residents.

Of the nation’s largest cities, nowhere has population growth accelerated quite like Seattle. The city has seen annual population gains increase each of the past few years, climbing by 2.8 percent last year -- the highest rate of any city with at least a half million residents.

Denver and Charlotte have followed similar patterns in recent years, each posting a population uptick of 2.4 percent over the 12-month period.

A few cities with large numbers of retirees also registered strong growth. Take Cape Coral, Fla., for example, which added an estimated 4,300 residents, or about a 2.7 percent increase.

Detroit was the only larger city to post a sizable population decline, losing nearly 10,000 residents over the year.

City Population Data

The following table shows estimated changes in population between July 2012 and July 2013. Data for cities with at least 100,000 residents is shown; additional totals are available on our population map.

National Rank

Locality

State

Percentage Change

Total Change

2012 Population

2013 Population

1

Frisco

Texas

6.5

8,328

128,463

136,791

2

Odessa

Texas

4

4,220

106,500

110,720

3

Gilbert

Arizona

4

8,749

221,223

229,972

4

McKinney

Texas

3.9

5,527

143,032

148,559

5

Midland

Texas

3.6

4,268

119,665

123,933

6

Cary

North Carolina

3.6

5,294

145,794

151,088

7

Fargo

North Dakota

3.2

3,516

110,142

113,658

8

Irvine

California

3.2

7,343

229,373

236,716

9

Round Rock

Texas

2.9

3,111

106,710

109,821

10

Murfreesboro

Tennessee

2.8

3,173

113,871

117,044

11

Sioux Falls

South Dakota

2.8

4,446

160,230

164,676

12

Seattle

Washington

2.8

17,770

634,635

652,405

13

Cape Coral

Florida

2.7

4,339

161,492

165,831

14

Thornton

Colorado

2.5

3,129

124,230

127,359

15

Durham

North Carolina

2.4

5,842

239,633

245,475

16

New Orleans

Louisiana

2.4

8,827

369,888

378,715

17

Denver

Colorado

2.4

14,953

634,542

649,495

18

Charlotte

North Carolina

2.4

18,420

774,442

792,862

19

Austin

Texas

2.4

20,993

864,407

885,400

20

Norman

Oklahoma

2.2

2,554

115,643

118,197

21

Centennial

Colorado

2.1

2,190

103,924

106,114

22

Temecula

California

2.1

2,162

104,618

106,780

23

Roseville

California

2.1

2,663

124,372

127,035

24

Fort Collins

Colorado

2.1

3,123

148,938

152,061

25

Columbus

Georgia

2.1

4,123

198,701

202,824

26

Orlando

Florida

2.1

5,324

250,159

255,483

27

Henderson

Nevada

2.1

5,526

265,285

270,811

28

Washington

District of Columbia

2.1

13,022

633,427

646,449

29

North Charleston

South Carolina

2

2,051

102,003

104,054

30

Wilmington

North Carolina

2

2,193

109,874

112,067

31

Raleigh

North Carolina

2

8,408

423,338

431,746

32

Surprise

Arizona

1.9

2,290

121,256

123,546

33

Charleston

South Carolina

1.9

2,364

125,635

127,999

34

Aurora

Colorado

1.9

6,561

339,242

345,803

35

Minneapolis

Minnesota

1.9

7,302

392,768

400,070

36

Fort Worth

Texas

1.9

14,643

778,084

792,727

37

Billings

Montana

1.8

1,980

107,079

109,059

38

Arvada

Colorado

1.8

1,935

109,772

111,707

39

Columbia

Missouri

1.8

1,991

113,285

115,276

40

Peoria

Arizona

1.8

2,846

159,746

162,592

41

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma

1.8

10,934

599,679

610,613

42

San Antonio

Texas

1.8

25,378

1,383,641

1,409,019

43

Antioch

California

1.7

1,833

105,267

107,100

44

Fairfield

California

1.7

1,789

107,531

109,320

45

Carlsbad

California

1.7

1,806

109,166

110,972

46

Pembroke Pines

Florida

1.7

2,699

159,630

162,329

47

North Las Vegas

Nevada

1.7

3,844

223,033

226,877

48

Chula Vista

California

1.7

4,235

252,545

256,780

49

Bakersfield

California

1.7

6,027

357,603

363,630

50

Phoenix

Arizona

1.7

24,843

1,488,524

1,513,367

51

West Jordan

Utah

1.6

1,731

108,346

110,077

52

Killeen

Texas

1.6

2,132

135,015

137,147

53

Elk Grove

California

1.6

2,541

158,466

161,007

54

Fremont

California

1.6

3,453

221,469

224,922

55

San Jose

California

1.6

15,958

982,579

998,537

56

Houston

Texas

1.6

35,202

2,160,712

2,195,914

57

Lewisville

Texas

1.5

1,474

99,600

101,074

58

Rochester

Minnesota

1.5

1,634

109,108

110,742

59

Westminster

Colorado

1.5

1,658

109,287

110,945

60

Hayward

California

1.5

2,236

149,338

151,574

61

Huntington Beach

California

1.5

3,012

194,563

197,575

62

Richmond

Virginia

1.5

3,257

210,857

214,114

63

Scottsdale

Arizona

1.5

3,445

223,473

226,918

64

Colorado Springs

Colorado

1.5

6,316

433,570

439,886

65

Nashville

Tennessee

1.5

9,471

624,993

634,464

66

Columbus

Ohio

1.5

12,450

810,103

822,553

67

San Mateo

California

1.4

1,373

99,755

101,128

68

Boulder

Colorado

1.4

1,395

101,771

103,166

69

Broken Arrow

Oklahoma

1.4

1,397

102,103

103,500

70

Pompano Beach

Florida

1.4

1,417

102,993

104,410

71

Olathe

Kansas

1.4

1,874

130,011

131,885

72

Bellevue

Washington

1.4

1,805

132,187

133,992

73

Alexandria

Virginia

1.4

2,053

146,839

148,892

74

Irving

Texas

1.4

3,106

225,547

228,653

75

Lubbock

Texas

1.4

3,212

236,326

239,538

76

Laredo

Texas

1.4

3,364

244,778

248,142

77

Chandler

Arizona

1.4

3,475

245,671

249,146

78

Corpus Christi

Texas

1.4

4,227

312,154

316,381

79

San Diego

California

1.4

18,867

1,337,029

1,355,896

80

Berkeley

California

1.3

1,467

115,301

116,768

81

Denton

Texas

1.3

1,639

121,460

123,099

82

Overland Park

Kansas

1.3

2,346

178,914

181,260

83

Huntsville

Alabama

1.3

2,479

183,775

186,254

84

Moreno Valley

California

1.3

2,587

198,588

201,175

85

Fayetteville

North Carolina

1.3

2,574

201,834

204,408

86

St. Paul

Minnesota

1.3

3,834

291,039

294,873

87

Oakland

California

1.3

5,023

401,230

406,253

88

Omaha

Nebraska

1.3

5,503

428,850

434,353

89

Mesa

Arizona

1.3

5,910

451,677

457,587

90

Boston

Massachusetts

1.3

8,121

637,845

645,966

91

Dallas

Texas

1.3

15,976

1,241,700

1,257,676

92

Kent

Washington

1.2

1,456

122,979

124,435

93

Stamford

Connecticut

1.2

1,514

124,942

126,456

94

Miramar

Florida

1.2

1,511

128,777

130,288

95

Palmdale

California

1.2

1,901

155,260

157,161

96

Springfield

Missouri

1.2

1,886

162,236

164,122

97

Vancouver

Washington

1.2

1,970

165,435

167,405

98

Tempe

Arizona

1.2

1,931

166,297

168,228

99

Port St. Lucie

Florida

1.2

1,998

169,018

171,016

100

Madison

Wisconsin

1.2

2,903

240,441

243,344

101

Lincoln

Nebraska

1.2

3,232

265,506

268,738

102

Riverside

California

1.2

3,872

312,747

316,619

103

Tampa

Florida

1.2

4,256

348,701

352,957

104

Las Vegas

Nevada

1.2

7,310

596,178

603,488

105

San Francisco

California

1.2

10,022

827,420

837,442

106

Lakeland

Florida

1.1

1,109

99,601

100,710

107

Cambridge

Massachusetts

1.1

1,117

106,172

107,289

108

Lafayette

Louisiana

1.1

1,348

122,928

124,276

109

Lakewood

Colorado

1.1

1,656

145,558

147,214

110

Corona

California

1.1

1,784

157,719

159,503

111

Reno

Nevada

1.1

2,627

230,667

233,294

112

Glendale

Arizona

1.1

2,597

232,035

234,632

113

Greensboro

North Carolina

1.1

3,073

276,566

279,639

114

Portland

Oregon

1.1

6,430

603,026

609,456

115

Santa Maria

California

1

1,027

101,189

102,216

116

Murrieta

California

1

1,087

106,392

107,479

117

Richmond

California

1

1,047

106,524

107,571

118

High Point

North Carolina

1

1,063

106,678

107,741

119

Coral Springs

Florida

1

1,272

125,332

126,604

120

Waco

Texas

1

1,259

127,771

129,030

121

Columbia

South Carolina

1

1,264

132,094

133,358

122

McAllen

Texas

1

1,397

135,242

136,639

123

Santa Rosa

California

1

1,756

170,234

171,990

124

Grand Rapids

Michigan

1

1,880

190,414

192,294

125

Chesapeake

Virginia

1

2,268

228,303

230,571

126

Lexington

Kentucky

1

3,176

305,252

308,428

127

Tulsa

Oklahoma

1

3,772

394,349

398,121

128

Atlanta

Georgia

1

4,336

443,505

447,841

129

Indianapolis

Indiana

1

8,550

834,843

843,393

130

Richardson

Texas

0.9

913

103,562

104,475

131

Daly City

California

0.9

916

103,823

104,739

132

Vallejo

California

0.9

1,023

117,814

118,837

133

Concord

California

0.9

1,162

124,718

125,880

134

Carrollton

Texas

0.9

1,158

125,542

126,700

135

West Valley City

Utah

0.9

1,230

132,349

133,579

136

Pasadena

California

0.9

1,288

138,443

139,731

137

Hollywood

Florida

0.9

1,251

145,275

146,526

138

Sunnyvale

California

0.9

1,267

146,292

147,559

139

Salinas

California

0.9

1,461

154,201

155,662

140

Fort Lauderdale

Florida

0.9

1,570

170,819

172,389

141

Oceanside

California

0.9

1,572

171,222

172,794

142

Grand Prairie

Texas

0.9

1,705

181,667

183,372

143

Salt Lake City

Utah

0.9

1,718

189,462

191,180

144

Glendale

California

0.9

1,657

194,364

196,021

145

Fontana

California

0.9

1,786

201,217

203,003

146

Oxnard

California

0.9

1,781

201,226

203,007

147

Boise City

Idaho

0.9

2,000

212,237

214,237

148

Winston-Salem

North Carolina

0.9

2,119

234,322

236,441

149

St. Petersburg

Florida

0.9

2,294

247,394

249,688

150

Anchorage

Alaska

0.9

2,656

298,294

300,950

151

Santa Ana

California

0.9

3,099

331,128

334,227

152

Arlington

Texas

0.9

3,362

376,215

379,577

153

Sacramento

California

0.9

4,319

475,367

479,686

154

Tyler

Texas

0.8

833

99,390

100,223

155

Davenport

Iowa

0.8

790

101,367

102,157

156

Clearwater

Florida

0.8

883

108,820

109,703

157

Beaumont

Texas

0.8

902

116,894

117,796

158

Athens

Georgia

0.8

939

119,041

119,980

159

Santa Clara

California

0.8

984

119,261

120,245

160

Victorville

California

0.8

1,004

120,092

121,096

161

Visalia

California

0.8

1,054

126,709

127,763

162

Kansas City

Kansas

0.8

1,148

147,335

148,483

163

Escondido

California

0.8

1,145

147,593

148,738

164

Salem

Oregon

0.8

1,332

159,282

160,614

165

Jersey City

New Jersey

0.8

2,017

255,325

257,342

166

Plano

Texas

0.8

2,231

272,178

274,409

167

Honolulu

Hawaii

0.8

2,887

344,997

347,884

168

Miami

Florida

0.8

3,429

414,221

417,650

169

Fresno

California

0.8

4,188

505,736

509,924

170

Louisville

Kentucky

0.8

4,903

604,990

609,893

171

Los Angeles

California

0.8

31,525

3,852,782

3,884,307

172

El Cajon

California

0.7

725

101,486

102,211

173

Palm Bay

Florida

0.7

687

104,211

104,898

174

Everett

Washington

0.7

688

104,682

105,370

175

Provo

Utah

0.7

847

115,441

116,288

176

Peoria

Illinois

0.7

803

115,710

116,513

177

Gainesville

Florida

0.7

852

126,636

127,488

178

Naperville

Illinois

0.7

1,020

143,844

144,864

179

Eugene

Oregon

0.7

1,177

158,013

159,190

180

Rancho Cucamonga

California

0.7

1,129

170,257

171,386

181

Brownsville

Texas

0.7

1,339

180,521

181,860

182

Newport News

Virginia

0.7

1,239

180,781

182,020

183

Yonkers

New York

0.7

1,344

198,422

199,766

184

Modesto

California

0.7

1,425

203,508

204,933

185

Fort Wayne

Indiana

0.7

1,808

254,688

256,496

186

Virginia Beach

Virginia

0.7

3,101

445,378

448,479

187

Jacksonville

Florida

0.7

5,975

836,608

842,583

188

New York

New York

0.7

61,440

8,344,397

8,405,837

189

Gresham

Oregon

0.6

617

108,780

109,397

190

El Monte

California

0.6

644

115,064

115,708

191

Ann Arbor

Michigan

0.6

697

116,328

117,025

192

Simi Valley

California

0.6

745

125,436

126,181

193

Elizabeth

New Jersey

0.6

801

126,757

127,558

194

Thousand Oaks

California

0.6

712

128,019

128,731

195

Sterling Heights

Michigan

0.6

786

130,438

131,224

196

Lancaster

California

0.6

922

158,601

159,523

197

Chattanooga

Tennessee

0.6

1,062

172,304

173,366

198

Garden Grove

California

0.6

971

174,169

175,140

199

Knoxville

Tennessee

0.6

1,070

182,200

183,270

200

Tacoma

Washington

0.6

1,138

202,308

203,446

201

Kansas City

Missouri

0.6

2,708

464,299

467,007

202

West Palm Beach

Florida

0.5

547

101,889

102,436

203

Lowell

Massachusetts

0.5

526

108,335

108,861

204

Miami Gardens

Florida

0.5

516

110,862

111,378

205

Warren

Michigan

0.5

658

134,215

134,873

206

Orange

California

0.5

679

139,290

139,969

207

Santa Clarita

California

0.5

979

178,611

179,590

208

Spokane

Washington

0.5

967

209,754

210,721

209

Hialeah

Florida

0.5

1,268

232,126

233,394

210

Anaheim

California

0.5

1,836

343,176

345,012

211

Rialto

California

0.4

370

101,540

101,910

212

Burbank

California

0.4

389

104,320

104,709

213

West Covina

California

0.4

403

107,337

107,740

214

Elgin

Illinois

0.4

451

109,694

110,145

215

Costa Mesa

California

0.4

499

111,675

112,174

216

Fullerton

California

0.4

571

138,410

138,981

217

Torrance

California

0.4

572

146,906

147,478

218

Pomona

California

0.4

628

150,720

151,348

219

Ontario

California

0.4

624

166,876

167,500

220

Amarillo

Texas

0.4

879

195,550

196,429

221

Little Rock

Arkansas

0.4

696

196,661

197,357

222

Des Moines

Iowa

0.4

745

206,765

207,510

223

Garland

Texas

0.4

928

233,638

234,566

224

Las Cruces

New Mexico

0.3

264

101,060

101,324

225

Wichita Falls

Texas

0.3

352

104,546

104,898

226

Norwalk

California

0.3

363

106,226

106,589

227

Pueblo

Colorado

0.3

274

107,975

108,249

228

San Buenaventura

California

0.3

367

108,450

108,817

229

Inglewood

California

0.3

379

111,163

111,542

230

Downey

California

0.3

389

112,853

113,242

231

Savannah

Georgia

0.3

408

142,364

142,772

232

Syracuse

New York

0.3

457

144,212

144,669

233

Bridgeport

Connecticut

0.3

488

146,728

147,216

234

Pasadena

Texas

0.3

531

152,204

152,735

235

Birmingham

Alabama

0.3

672

211,441

212,113

236

San Bernardino

California

0.3

646

213,062

213,708

237

Newark

New Jersey

0.3

802

277,625

278,427

238

Stockton

California

0.3

879

297,239

298,118

239

Wichita

Kansas

0.3

1,236

385,316

386,552

240

Long Beach

California

0.3

1,374

468,054

469,428

241

Tucson

Arizona

0.3

1,315

524,801

526,116

242

Albuquerque

New Mexico

0.3

1,874

554,621

556,495

243

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

0.3

4,518

1,548,647

1,553,165

244

Abilene

Texas

0.2

257

119,842

120,099

245

Evansville

Indiana

0.2

181

120,129

120,310

246

Cedar Rapids

Iowa

0.2

320

128,109

128,429

247

Paterson

New Jersey

0.2

237

145,711

145,948

248

Cincinnati

Ohio

0.2

732

296,785

297,517

249

Chicago

Illinois

0.2

5,862

2,712,920

2,718,782

250

South Bend

Indiana

0.1

92

100,794

100,886

251

Manchester

New Hampshire

0.1

65

110,313

110,378

252

Dayton

Ohio

0.1

97

143,258

143,355

253

Mesquite

Texas

0.1

167

143,317

143,484

254

Springfield

Massachusetts

0.1

214

153,489

153,703

255

Worcester

Massachusetts

0.1

232

182,312

182,544

256

Aurora

Illinois

0.1

262

199,701

199,963

257

Norfolk

Virginia

0.1

132

246,007

246,139

258

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

0.1

762

598,402

599,164

259

Green Bay

Wisconsin

0

10

104,769

104,779

260

Independence

Missouri

0

2

117,238

117,240

261

Hampton

Virginia

0

67

136,632

136,699

262

Mobile

Alabama

0

11

194,888

194,899

263

El Paso

Texas

0

309

674,124

674,433

264

Kenosha

Wisconsin

-0.1

-122

100,011

99,889

265

Lansing

Michigan

-0.1

-113

114,085

113,972

266

Hartford

Connecticut

-0.1

-147

125,164

125,017

267

New Haven

Connecticut

-0.1

-169

130,829

130,660

268

Providence

Rhode Island

-0.1

-253

178,247

177,994

269

Rochester

New York

-0.1

-157

210,515

210,358

270

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

-0.1

-348

306,189

305,841

271

Baltimore

Maryland

-0.1

-313

622,417

622,104

272

Waterbury

Connecticut

-0.2

-229

109,905

109,676

273

Springfield

Illinois

-0.2

-178

117,184

117,006

274

Allentown

Pennsylvania

-0.2

-187

118,764

118,577

275

Topeka

Kansas

-0.2

-310

127,989

127,679

276

Joliet

Illinois

-0.2

-300

148,106

147,806

277

Buffalo

New York

-0.2

-428

259,387

258,959

278

St. Louis

Missouri

-0.2

-696

319,112

318,416

279

Memphis

Tennessee

-0.2

-1,106

654,556

653,450

280

Augusta

Georgia

-0.3

-626

197,976

197,350

281

Akron

Ohio

-0.3

-522

198,622

198,100

282

Baton Rouge

Louisiana

-0.3

-580

230,006

229,426

283

Toledo

Ohio

-0.3

-989

283,302

282,313

284

Cleveland

Ohio

-0.3

-1,181

391,294

390,113

285

Rockford

Illinois

-0.4

-664

150,915

150,251

286

Tallahassee

Florida

-0.4

-673

187,084

186,411

287

Erie

Pennsylvania

-0.5

-484

101,155

100,671

288

Flint

Michigan

-0.6

-649

100,412

99,763

289

Clarksville

Tennessee

-0.6

-788

143,145

142,357

290

Shreveport

Louisiana

-0.9

-1,739

202,066

200,327

291

Detroit

Michigan

-1.4

-9,881

698,582

688,701

292

Jackson

Mississippi

-1.5

-2,557

175,195

172,638

293

Montgomery

Alabama

-1.6

-3,241

204,573

201,332

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates current as of July 2012 and July 2013.